League of Women Voters v. Rucho

October 5, 2017

[1]

Case Background

League of Women Votersv. Rucho is the most recent challenge to North Carolina’s remedial congressional map, which was enacted earlier this year. The plaintiffs argue that the map violates the 1st and 14th Amendments and constitutes a partisan gerrymander.

The three-judge panel hearing the case denied the state's motion to dismiss on March 3, 2017 and consolidated the case with trial Common Cause v. Rucho[2]. Trial in the case had been set to begin June 26, 2017 but has been postponed indefinitely.

On June 26, the legislative defendants filed a motion to stay the case pending the Supreme Court's final decision in Gill v. Whitford[3]. The plaintiffs filed a brief in opposition to the stay on July 17. On August 29, the court denied the state’s motion to stay, saying that the case would proceed to trial. The trial is set to begin on October 16.